tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795811061225024852024-02-07T20:48:22.512-06:00Amy's Kitchen CreationsA home cook learning her way through the kitchen recipe by recipe.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02418601425155661639noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-70244370296600106532013-09-17T08:00:00.000-05:002014-01-24T16:51:08.578-06:00Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpGveQxzn0StK2KuQd6O86Vrp7WjXCxPy18mdmITNuijrFL7LseP80qrO0BlBB-Jf3rc0jUkCy2RZMep7Q5zPPkng0Ph_x2m0srHpam4cgwCg-e7H5jISsCTqre7VzM0NuHT4I_6Pvpg/s1600/9.4.2013+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpGveQxzn0StK2KuQd6O86Vrp7WjXCxPy18mdmITNuijrFL7LseP80qrO0BlBB-Jf3rc0jUkCy2RZMep7Q5zPPkng0Ph_x2m0srHpam4cgwCg-e7H5jISsCTqre7VzM0NuHT4I_6Pvpg/s1600/9.4.2013+002.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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This recipe put me in my place. It taught me, again, to never judge a book by its cover. I've seen dessert dip recipes all over Pinterest and blogs lately. I've always thought that they sounded completely gross. I'm not even sure why. Maybe I didn't think I liked raw cookie dough enough. Whatever the reason, I was <b>so</b> wrong.<br />
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My Husband made this one day and I was very skeptical. I told him before even trying any, "you're going to end up eating that all yourself." He kept reassuring me I'd like it. "Nope, I don't like peanut butter cups" I'd say. "Just try it" he said. "I probably won't like it." I'd say.<br />
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Well, guess who ate most of it? This girl.<br />
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Much to my surprise, it was good! I honestly don't like peanut butter cups so I would scoop around them just getting the cookie dough & some chocolate chips. Yum!<br />
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Next up, I'd like to try a <a href="http://stickafork.net/2013/01/brownie-batter-dip/">brownie batter dip</a> or <a href="http://www.carriessweetlife.com/cake-batter-dip/">cake batter dip</a>. I'm still skeptical of a sugar cookie dip only because I imagine it to be too sweet and sugary. But, I need to remind myself not to judge a book by its cover, or a dip by its peanut butter cups!<br />
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Here's a great dip idea, <a href="http://www.carriessweetlife.com/pumpkin-dip/">pumpkin dip</a>, for any of you Fall lovers like me!<br />
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<b><i>Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip</i></b><br />
Recipe from: <a href="http://www.shugarysweets.com/2013/01/reeses-peanut-butter-cookie-dough-dip">Shugary Sweets</a><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1/2 cup unsalted butter<br />
1/2 cup light brown sugar (all we had was dark)<br />
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter<br />
8oz cream cheese<br />
3/4 cup powdered sugar<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips<br />
8 oz package Reese's peanut butter cup minis <b>OR</b> 1 1/2 cups chopped Reeses cups<br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the sugar, heating until all of the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat immediately and add the vanilla. Allow this to cool to room temperature. If it isn't completely cooled, it will affect the end result of the dip.<br />
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In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and peanut butter until creamy, about 3-4 minutes. With the mixer on low, add in the brown sugar mixture that has now been cooled to room temperature. Mix until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and Reese's. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator until ready to serve. We enjoyed this with graham crackers. Animal crackers would also be good! I wasn't a fan of eating it with pretzels. But, give that a try if you think it sounds good!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-8742764099700532422013-09-16T14:26:00.000-05:002014-01-24T22:17:09.656-06:00Blueberry Stuffed French Toast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My Husband's hours changed at the beginning of this Summer and he's now home on the weekends more often. He usually had to work every other weekend. Now, he works about every fifth weekend and only has to go IN the office for a few hours and is able to work from home on Sundays.<br />
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I know I've talked about having Saturday breakfasts before (<a href="http://amyskitchencreations.blogspot.com/2011/03/saturday-breakfast-eggs-benedict.html">here</a> and <a href="http://amyskitchencreations.blogspot.com/2011/03/saturday-breakfast-french-toast-with.html">here</a>) but I really do enjoy having a more involved breakfast on weekends. Whenever we visit my Parents, we usually have a more involved breakfast, too. More involved doesn't always have to mean time consuming or hard. To me, a more involved recipe just means that it's something more than you'd make on the weekday mornings when you're rushing off to work, getting kids ready for school, heading to your next class, etc. It's something more than a breakfast bar or bowl of cereal. It's something that you have to sit down and enjoy, not something you can eat while waiting for your bus or carpool. </div>
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This recipe was very good! I didn't actually find the recipe, my Husband was looking up the recipe while I was in the kitchen. So, I can't give proper credit. Please let me know if this sounds like your recipe and I will give you credit! </div>
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I've never made stuffed french toast before, but now that I've been looking at recipes I don't think I did it correctly. However, I don't really care because these were so yummy. I really should make them again this weekend. I'm sure my little one would love some blueberries!</div>
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<b><i>Blueberry Stuffed French Toast</i></b></div>
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<i>Recipe from: Internet search, specific recipe unknown</i></div>
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<i><b>Ingredients:</b></i></div>
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<i>Slices of bread</i></div>
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<i>2 eggs, lightly whisked in a bowl</i></div>
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<i>pinch of cinnamon</i></div>
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<i>pinch of sugar</i></div>
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<i>1 tsp vanilla </i></div>
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<i>Softened cream cheese</i></div>
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<i>1 cup of blueberries</i></div>
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<i>a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar</i></div>
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<b><i>Directions:</i></b></div>
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<i>Add the pinch of sugar and the pinch of cinnamon to the egg in a small bowl. With a hand mixer, mix the powdered sugar with the cream cheese, gently add the vanilla and mix well. Mix in as much or as little powdered sugar as you'd like, depending on how sweet you'd like it. You might want more than a couple tablespoons, you might want less, it's completely up to you. </i></div>
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<i>Just as if you were making regular, un-stuffed french toast, dip your bread in your lightly beaten egg mixture. I cooked all of my pieces of bread and then set them aside. </i></div>
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<i>Take a spoonful of the cream cheese mixture and spread on top of one piece of bread. Top with a few blueberries (again, you can choose more or less depending on your preferences). Top that with another slice of bread. Gently press down. </i></div>
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<i>Place the sandwich on your griddle and cook until warmed through and the cream cheese mixture softens even more. </i></div>
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<i>Serve warm with some additional powdered sugar sprinkled on the top. </i></div>
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<i>Some of the other recipes I found said to make the complete sandwich first and then grill it. Not to grill the bread and then grill it again with the filling. </i></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-66776119638865614812013-06-07T06:00:00.000-05:002014-01-24T22:28:52.746-06:00Chicken Tamale Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here's another recipe from the Recipe Swap that I participate in. I am really starting to love these swaps. They get me to make new recipes that I otherwise wouldn't make. They help keep me out of the meal planning slump that I'm often in. I was assigned Heather's blog again, this time with a Mexican theme and the recipe I was assigned was this chicken tamale pie. I was intrigued by it, not knowing really what to expect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCetnWdhGcddHns5IvzCYY3GV96Y6uiKIJxeG_oiKkeFnCMAEAFa2Up5i-PW8yhUQ3Klkgl-gw8cgnxz5-G1Cv6d9u86KE95KprjIJo9CnUjVINniO3vmPCpuWRNhqx3zwYR0y6cSHRU/s1600/6.6.2013+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCetnWdhGcddHns5IvzCYY3GV96Y6uiKIJxeG_oiKkeFnCMAEAFa2Up5i-PW8yhUQ3Klkgl-gw8cgnxz5-G1Cv6d9u86KE95KprjIJo9CnUjVINniO3vmPCpuWRNhqx3zwYR0y6cSHRU/s1600/6.6.2013+017.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
Speaking of meal planning, let me come right out and say that I had dreams of what maternity leave would be like. I envisioned days of light cleaning, daily showers, sleeping when the baby slept, meal plans, dinner prepped each night before my Husband got home. It was going to be glorious.<br />
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I didn't realize I would live in a "what day/week/month is it?" world, I didn't realize that showering every other day would seem luxurious. I didn't think my Baby would take only 30 minute naps (yes, seriously.), I didn't realize that despite being home all day, I wouldn't have a stinking clue what was for dinner when my Husband came home at 4:00pm. Yikes.<br />
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If you're a first-time Mom like me who is living in a crazy world, make this meal. Yes, I'm serious. It's easy, peasy. You could make it with a baby on your hip, while warming up a bottle AND checking out Instagram. Seriously, easy. I boiled and shredded the chicken the day before to help with my prep time. Best idea ever! Better yet, use leftover shredded chicken! Or heck, even use some lean ground beef. I bet that'd be tasty!<br />
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Both <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG7qxFwkPrA&feature=em-uploademail">Heather</a> and <a href="http://www.preventionrd.com/2012/04/chicken-tamale-pie/">Nicole</a> made this recipe in a pie plate. That seemed really messy to me and I wanted something with ease so I made it in a 9x13 pan. Thank goodness, too. I was able to show some self control and not eat the whole pan! A pie plate may not have survived my hunger.<br />
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<b>Chicken Tamale Pie</b></div>
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<i>Recipe adapted from: <a href="http://www.hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.com/2012/07/chicken-tamale-pie.html">Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks</a></i></div>
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<i>Ingredients:</i></div>
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<i>1/3 cup milk</i></div>
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<i>1 egg</i></div>
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<i>1/2 packet taco seasoning (I had leftovers from a different recipe)</i></div>
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<i>couple shakes of crushed red pepper</i></div>
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<i>1 can of cream style corn</i></div>
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<i>1 box of Jiffy corn muffin mix</i></div>
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<i>1 (10oz) can of enchilada sauce</i></div>
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<i>2 cups of cooked chicken breast, shredded</i></div>
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<i>1/2 cup shredded Mexican style cheese</i></div>
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<i>2 tsp cilantro, chopped </i></div>
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Preheat your oven to 400*. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium sized bowl, mix the milk, egg, half of the taco seasoning, crushed red pepper, cream style corn and corn muffin mix together, just until moist. Pour into your baking dish. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until light golden brown. While that is baking, mix your chicken with the rest of your taco seasoning.</div>
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Take out of the oven and while still warm, using a fork, pierce the entire surface with a fork. Pour all of the enchilada sauce over the corn muffin mixture. Add your shredded chicken, then the cheese. Bake for about 12 minutes until the cheese is melted. Let sit for about 5 minutes and serve. </div>
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See? Easy! </div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-48131563183002705772013-05-29T08:00:00.000-05:002014-01-24T22:22:28.213-06:00Cream Cheese RiceOne of my favorite cooking blogs is <a href="http://www.goodthymesandgoodfood.com/">Good Thymes and Good Food</a>. Rachel has many great recipes that are easy for busy Moms, nutritious and delicious!<br />
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When I made my <a href="http://www.amyskitchencreations.blogspot.com/2013/05/chicken-wellington.html">Chicken Wellington</a>, I wanted a side dish to go with it. I wanted something other than a salad or frozen veggies or another 'typical' side dish. Something different but yet easy since I didn't really know how difficult the wellington recipe would be. I found the perfect recipe when I came across her <a href="http://www.goodthymesandgoodfood.com/2011/02/mexican-cream-cheese-rice.html">Mexican Cream Cheese Rice</a>.<br />
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At first I thought about putting a mexican spin on the wellington using taco seasoning instead of the Italian seasonings so that I could make this rice exactly. I finally settled on adapting this rice recipe to be a more basic side dish without the mexican theme.<br />
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It came out perfectly and was really, really good. I'll definitely make this again & again, perhaps changing it up a little bit each time I make it!<br />
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<b><i>ream Cheese Rice with corn and peas</i></b><br />
<i>Recipe adapted from: <a href="http://www.goodthymesandgoodfood.com/">Good Thymes and Good Food</a></i><br />
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<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
<i>2 cups chicken stock</i><br />
<i>1 cup uncooked instant rice</i><br />
<i>3 ounces of cream cheese, cubed</i><br />
<i>1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded</i><br />
<i>1 can of peas, drained</i><br />
<i>1 can of corn, drained</i><br />
<i>1 can of mushrooms, drained</i><br />
<i>1/2 of a medium onion, chopped</i><br />
<i>salt & pepper, to taste</i><br />
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<i>In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil and add the rice. Stir, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for twenty minutes. Preheat the oven to 350* and spray a small baking dish with cooking spray. </i><br />
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<i>Once the rice is cooked, add the cubes of cream cheese and let melt. Add the corn, peas, mushrooms & onions. Add salt & pepper to taste.</i><br />
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<i>Transfer the rice to the baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese bubbles and is lightly browned.</i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-87552701055930256952013-05-28T11:07:00.001-05:002014-01-24T22:24:20.420-06:00Chicken Wellington<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJr4bgsVSysN5ZhGlzEgpHRhwA9NgB2QI_ktVtHnNRkTVnPpEKQTWJx3bFkQxOPExoRe7oPqR6qszL_MvN3Dy-ouQuhA2qCS7hKQRHr0FX5pD42sss9nnx93YJbsDCD-dJ24M5RSObJo/s1600/5.28.2013+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJr4bgsVSysN5ZhGlzEgpHRhwA9NgB2QI_ktVtHnNRkTVnPpEKQTWJx3bFkQxOPExoRe7oPqR6qszL_MvN3Dy-ouQuhA2qCS7hKQRHr0FX5pD42sss9nnx93YJbsDCD-dJ24M5RSObJo/s1600/5.28.2013+037.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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I finally participated in this month's What's Baking theme. I've been getting the emails for awhile now and finally found the time to participate. The theme this month was puff pastry and was hosted by Cara at <a href="http://www.theboysmademedoit.com/">The Boys Made Me Do It</a>. I've never worked with puff pastry before. I've had it a few times, mostly as an appetizer such as <a href="http://www.puffpastry.com/recipe/23992/brie-en-croute">Brie En Croute</a>.<br />
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This recipe was really good. I've never had beef wellington so I wasn't really sure what to expect but my Husband and I both loved it. It came together pretty quickly, was delicious & we had all of the ingredients on hand which always makes me appreciate a recipe even more!<br />
I would definitely make this again but with a couple changes. The first being that I would shred the chicken and mix the mushroom, onions and cream cheese mixture with the shredded chicken. I know that it wouldn't be a wellington with those changes and more of a 'stuffed' puff pastry but I think that it would be a better final product. The way the recipe is now, the bottom puff pastry gets a bit soggy because of the onions and mushrooms as the bottom layer and with the cream cheese on the top, between the chicken and puff pastry, makes it a little hard to cut through because it created a barrier between the chicken and the puff pastry, so the pastry didn't really stick to the chicken like I think it should have. The second change I would make is that I might make my own puff pastry! I was surprised at the price of puff pastry in the grocery store. For a package (two sheets), it was around $3.50 I think. <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/">Annie's Eats</a> has a recipe for <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/2012/09/19/how-to-make-puff-pastry/">homemade puff pastry</a> that looks intimidating but as I've learned with other recipes I've made, you just have to try!<br />
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After trying this recipe, I definitely want to try a beef wellington, I think we would both really enjoy that as well.<br />
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<b><i>Chicken Wellington</i></b><br />
<i>Recipe slightly adapted from: <a href="http://www.puffpastry.com/recipe/23992/brie-en-croute">Pepperidge Farms</a></i><br />
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<i>Ingredients</i><br />
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts<br />
2 tblsp butter<br />
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms (I used canned)<br />
1/2 cup onion, chopped<br />
1/3 of an 8 oz block of cream cheese<br />
1 tblsp Dijon mustard<br />
all purpose flour, for rolling out the puff pastry<br />
1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed<br />
1 tsp Italian seasoning, divided<br />
1/8 tsp black pepper<br />
sprinkle of salt<br />
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<i>Directions:</i><br />
Heat the oven to 400*. Lightly grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. Season both sides of your chicken with the salt, pepper & a 1/2 tsp Italian seasonings. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes each side. Remove the chicken from the skillet & refrigerate for about 15 minutes.<br />
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Melt the other tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until tender and the liquid has evaporated. Add the other 1/2 tsp Italian seasonings.<br />
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In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and Dijon mustard. Mix together until thoroughly combined.<br />
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Sprinkle your work surface with flour. Roll out the puff pastry in to a 14" square. Cut into 4 equally sized squares.<br />
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Spoon a tablespoon of the mushroom and onion mixture on to the puff pastry. Top with one chicken breast. Top the chicken breast with one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. Fold the corners of the pastries up and over the chicken breast. Place the pastries seam side down on the baking sheet. Lightly spray each pastry bundle with cooking spray.<br />
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Bake for 25 minutes until the pastries are golden brown.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-32687111433556311372013-05-24T06:00:00.000-05:002014-01-24T22:30:41.306-06:00Recipe Swap: Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries with Sriracha Lime Mayo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I belong on a cooking forum and have been there for about a year or so. I enjoy having a cooking blog although it's really not much compared to other blogs. I like to be in the kitchen and I'm excited to make Lauren's baby food in the next month or so.<br />
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One thing I love about the cooking forum is the group participation. There are recipe swaps a couple times a month. I have participated in these recipe swaps once before. I really love the idea of the swaps. Bloggers are "assigned" another blog <a href="http://tasteofhomecooking.blogspot.com/">A Taste of Home Cooking</a> hosts these blogs each month and provides us with the link below so that you can check out all of the recipes.<br />
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I was given <a href="http://www.hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.com/">Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks</a> as my blog for this swap. I seriously waited until the very last minute to make the recipe because I just could not decide what I wanted to make. I browsed through her desserts, appetizers, main dishes, chicken dishes, beef dishes etc. I finally had to tell my Husband to browse her blog and pick a recipe. I knew he would pick one, without hesitating like I was doing.<br />
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Lately, my Husband is watching what he eats, counting calories, limiting carbs and trying to get more exercise in. So far, it's working! He's lost 9lbs. While it makes for a challenging time when trying to meal plan, I'm proud of him for sticking with it.<br />
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This recipe is a great way to sneak some veggies in to your (or your kids'!) diet. I really enjoy zucchini (tell that to my 10yr old self!) and usually only make it in a stir fry or on kabobs. This really didn't take any time at all to prepare and could easily be made for a crowd or for one. Make as little or as much as you like!<br />
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What I loved most about these is that I could definitely see myself replacing regular, potato french fries with these. They have a slight crunch to them, but the inside is soft, similar to the soft, potato inside of a regular french fry.<br />
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<b><i>Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries with Sriracha Lime Mayo</i></b><br />
<i>Recipe adapted from: <a href="http://www.hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.com/2012/09/crispy-baked-cheesy-zucchini-fries-with.html">Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks </a></i><br />
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<i>Ingredients: </i><br />
4 heaping teaspoons of flour<br />
2 eggs, lightly beaten<br />
1/2 cup breadcrumbs<br />
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 tsp black pepper<br />
1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />
3 medium zucchinis<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Sriracha Sauce Ingredients: </i><br />
3 tablespoons mayo<br />
1 1/2 tsp Sriracha<br />
1 tsp lime juice<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp black pepper<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Directions: </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Preheat oven to 425. Cover a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Cut the ends of each zucchini and cut the zucchinis into "fry" shapes. You could even cut them in discs if you wanted zucchini chips, I suppose. </i><br />
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<i>You'll want to set up a small station. The beaten eggs should be in one shallow dish and in another shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Gently mix together with a fork. </i><br />
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<i>Put the 4 teaspoons of flour into a ziploc bag. Place all of your cut zucchini in the bag. Zip the bag shut and gently shake the bag until all pieces are coated. </i><br />
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<i>Next, dip the floured zucchini pieces into the beaten egg, coating all sides. Then, you'll put them into the breadcrumb mixture and again, be sure to coat all sides. </i><br />
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<i>Place the breaded pieces onto your prepared cookie sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes until they're golden brown and crispy. </i><br />
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<i>While the fries cook, whisk together the ingredients for the sriracha mayo. I chilled mine while the fries continued to cook. </i></div>
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<i>Serve the fries warm with the dipping sauce. Yum! </i></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-63103323207969591022013-05-21T10:47:00.000-05:002014-01-24T22:31:48.348-06:00Chicken Tacos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Nm6xsbfQ3uZzP71XcGWlc3pUggCqFEZ4BdpMbjFyvrS1FpOm1JtqUwQv8bP_8NJSAXf5FUN0jTLpBxzpqEbiPLmOnU2jpNw6WNxLq0DK6PiSJcIzySyCusPhyRBOd9fwgCHOO_GHMTw/s1600/5.14.2013+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Nm6xsbfQ3uZzP71XcGWlc3pUggCqFEZ4BdpMbjFyvrS1FpOm1JtqUwQv8bP_8NJSAXf5FUN0jTLpBxzpqEbiPLmOnU2jpNw6WNxLq0DK6PiSJcIzySyCusPhyRBOd9fwgCHOO_GHMTw/s1600/5.14.2013+046.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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This isn't your typical chicken taco recipe. Have you ever had the <a href="http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/salads/easy-dorito-taco-salad/">Dorito Taco Salad</a> recipe? I was thinking about that when I was making this recipe, but using ingredients that I had on hand. It didn't turn out quite like I had hoped, but it did turn out and it was quite tasty!<br />
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I don't even have exact measurements because I just kind of threw it together. I ate mine with some shredded lettuce the first night, but then the next day, I made them as tacos for lunch.<br />
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<b>Chicken Tacos</b><br />
<i>Recipe from: Amy's Kitchen Creations original recipe</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><b>Ingredients:</b></i><br />
<i>Cooked and shredded chicken breasts</i><br />
<i>15-30oz Black beans, rinsed and drained</i><br />
<i>15-30oz Canned corn, drained</i><br />
<i>~2 tblsp Catalina dressing, to drizzle on before serving</i><br />
<i>Roma Tomatoes, cut up</i><br />
<i>A couple tablespoons of taco seasonings</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><b>Toppings of your choice:</b></i><br />
<i>Sour cream</i><br />
<i>Guacamole</i><br />
<i>Shredded lettuce</i><br />
<i>Shredded cheese</i><br />
<i>Hard taco shells</i><br />
<i>Soft flour or corn tortillas for soft tacos </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b><i>Directions:</i></b><br />
<i>After cooking & shredding the chicken breast, sprinkle the taco seasoning onto the chicken while the chicken is still warm. {Have you ever used your kitchenaid mixer to shred chicken? It's genius!} </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Then, mix together the shredded chicken, corn, black beans. Add your dressing and combine. Add more or less dressing per your preference. Top with some toppings of your choice. </i><br />
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<i>See, it's easy! I feel a little silly for even posting a recipe because it's so easy. </i>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-12903322753281621732013-04-16T17:54:00.004-05:002014-01-24T17:03:36.300-06:00Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3eKgQNxUp_bO09PU8fDUmYCfH7cBNttw-zhWuVLyKdmcVVoA0a027WlkG57d7-e4JGBwtaTa2-OBi1CUoYY7ROkxmQ0JbK-D9a4QL2euSyoVB8wFKf-jy2Srlpl0gvHTg6AQ3cvIfSk/s1600/4.8.2013+209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_3eKgQNxUp_bO09PU8fDUmYCfH7cBNttw-zhWuVLyKdmcVVoA0a027WlkG57d7-e4JGBwtaTa2-OBi1CUoYY7ROkxmQ0JbK-D9a4QL2euSyoVB8wFKf-jy2Srlpl0gvHTg6AQ3cvIfSk/s1600/4.8.2013+209.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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When we have Holiday dinners at my Husband's Grandparent's house, I'm always asked to bring dessert. I love it because I can try out new recipes and can always get some great feedback. Not to mention, it takes the guesswork out of wondering what to bring to a family gathering. </div>
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I knew I wanted to bring a cheesecake because I had a lot of cream cheese in the refrigerator. I have never made a cheesecake before which shocks me now that I think of it. </div>
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This recipe was so easy to make and it received great feedback! We came home with about 3/4 of the pan left so I sent most all of it to work with Matt. One of his coworkers shared some with his Wife when he got home and his Wife questioned where he stopped after work to pick up some cheesecake. </div>
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The only thing that I would change is that I baked the crust before putting the cheesecake filling layer in. After thinking about it, I probably didn't have to and that's probably why the crust separated a little bit from the cheesecake layer when you would cut into it with your fork. I think if you only baked the crust the one time once you had the filling poured on top, it would be much better. </div>
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<b><u>Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars</u></b><br />
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<i>Cheesecake recipe adapted from: <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/blueberry-swirl-cheesecake">Taste of Home</a></i></div>
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<i>Graham cracker crust recipe adapted from: <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/graham-cracker-crust-i/">All Recipes</a></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b><u>Ingredients for the crust:</u></b></div>
<div>
3 cups graham cracker crumbs</div>
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2/3 cup white sugar</div>
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12 tablespoons of melted butter</div>
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<b><u>Ingredients for the cheesecake layer:</u></b></div>
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4 packages cream cheese, softened</div>
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1 cup white sugar</div>
<div>
1/2 tsp lemon extract</div>
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4 eggs, lightly beaten</div>
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1 can (21oz) blueberry pie filling</div>
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<b><u>Directions for the crust:</u></b></div>
<div>
1. Mix together the crumbs, sugar and butter until well blended. Press mixture into 9x13 pan.**</div>
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2. Bake at 375 for 7 minutes. </div>
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**{If you're using this crust in a recipe that calls for the finished product to be baked, you could probably hold off on baking the crust separately. If you're making a pudding pie or something that does not need to be baked, you probably will want to follow step 2.}</div>
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<b><u>Directions for the cheesecake layer:</u></b></div>
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1. Mix the cream cheese, sugar and lemon extract until smooth. <br />
2. Add the eggs and beat until just combined.<br />
3. Pour into the graham cracker crust<br />
4. Drop blueberry pie filling onto cheesecake layer by tablespoons.<br />
5. Using a butter knife, swirl the filling throughout the cheesecake layer. Dropping more filling as needed.<br />
6. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until center is almost set.<br />
7. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour and then refrigerator for at least 2 hours.<br />
8. Top with remaining pie filling, if desired at the time of serving.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-77366066944597139402013-01-16T08:00:00.000-06:002013-01-16T08:00:12.901-06:00Pea Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'd never had pea salad until I met Matt's family. His Grandma serves it at some of the family Holidays. There isn't much of a recipe for it and it's really not much of a dish but it is pretty tasty. Plus, you're getting a serving of veggies, right? :-)</div>
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I wasn't there for the year that Matt's Grandma served them frozen pea salad, but they definitely reminisce about it each time we have pea salad. Oops!! </div>
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<br /><b><u>Pea Salad</u></b><br />
<i>Recipe from: Family Recipe</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Ingredients:</i><br />
Bag of frozen peas, thawed<br />
Mayonnaise<br />
Roasted peanuts for topping, optional<br />
Salt & pepper, to taste<br />
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There isn't much of a recipe as I said. You use as much or as little mayonnaise as you'd like. Mix together the mayonnaise and peas. Top with the peanuts. Serve.<br />
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You could prepare this a day ahead of time, keeping the peas frozen and allowing them to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Maybe that's how she accidentally served them frozen pea salad?! If you use this method, make sure your peas are thawed by taking a little taste test before serving!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-79531367854741440702013-01-14T08:00:00.000-06:002014-11-27T14:16:02.732-06:00Kitchen Tip: Cooking plain Chicken BreastsIn my opinion, there is nothing worse than a dry chicken breast. This is my favorite way to cook a plain chicken breast. It's easy, hands-off and always produces great results! I really think the key here is that the chicken needs to be completely thawed. It might work just as well with frozen chicken breasts, I'm just not sure, I haven't tried it yet.<br />
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The other night I threw the chicken breasts into the oven to cook up quick so that I could add them to the pasta. In 30 minutes, I had juicy, thoroughly cooked chicken breasts. <br />
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You could even cook up your chicken ahead of time if you're needing chicken for a cold pasta or cold salad. Cook the chicken, let it cool and cut/dice as needed. You'll still have flavorful, moist chicken! This would work great on a busy weeknight, too. While your chicken is cooking, prepare some veggies or a salad for a quick and delicious dinner.<br />
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<i>Directions:</i><br />
Preheat your oven to 400*. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with two sheets of foil. Place your chicken breasts on the foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with whatever seasonings you desire on your chicken. Place a piece of foil over the top of the breasts, crimping around the edges of the pan so that you have created a completely covered baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the oven for 30 minutes.<br />
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After the 30 minutes, check to make sure your chicken is done. If needed, cover with the foil again and cook an additional 15-20 minutes or however long you need until it's done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-87143504026720365942013-01-07T08:00:00.000-06:002014-01-24T22:33:06.795-06:00Crockpot Freezer Meals! With Baby coming in less than two weeks, my mind has been on freezer meals! I want to be sure that we have quick, easy meals & foods on hand because I have NO idea what our life will be like with a newborn. The only thing that I DO know is that we still need to eat! :-)<br />
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So far in the freezer we have:<br />
Waffles<br />
<a href="http://amyskitchencreations.blogspot.com/2012/07/banana-crumb-muffins.html">Banana Crumb Muffins</a><br />
<a href="http://amyskitchencreations.blogspot.com/2011/05/creamy-chicken-taquitos.html">Chicken Taquitos</a><br />
Chicken Burritos<br />
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts<br />
Frozen pizzas<br />
Steaks<br />
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I wanted to add a couple crock pot freezer meals and when I found <a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html">this</a> post on <a href="http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/">Six Sister's Stuff</a> I thought it would be perfect. We purchased the ingredients from <a href="http://www.aldi.us/index_ENU_HTML.htm">Aldi</a> since they're pretty cheap and we were running errands near one.<br />
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I've now added Hearty Beef Stew, Taco Soup & Chicken Cacciatore to our freezer stash and to be honest, we're really excited to cook them up! I'll be sure to update this blog post or create a new post with our feedback on each dish. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkqnN357EdEY74XAKimRcFzLXv_Q26z5fDL-beKKgZfGuYPHTdZ4zIhR1XKU-ji9Arbqvvm5D0ocUqS15vwuFve_yUYfvDmUHcYQnrdqhqOWIe9v8Esjavs7Enl4vRCNWtK-Jded5bfA/s1600/1.8.2013+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNkqnN357EdEY74XAKimRcFzLXv_Q26z5fDL-beKKgZfGuYPHTdZ4zIhR1XKU-ji9Arbqvvm5D0ocUqS15vwuFve_yUYfvDmUHcYQnrdqhqOWIe9v8Esjavs7Enl4vRCNWtK-Jded5bfA/s1600/1.8.2013+052.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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The beef stew was good, but I think I would have much preferred fresh beef stew. I'm not complaining though, it was a warm meal. :) <br /><br />
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<b><br /></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-15332448068167098412012-12-28T08:00:00.000-06:002012-12-28T08:00:02.251-06:00Broccoli Cheddar Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Recently, Matt wanted soup for dinner. It was a cold, snowy day and I figured that I could make us a homemade soup rather than buying a pre-packaged soup that you just add water to. We make those soups occasionally but they're so full of sodium! </div>
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I've seen this recipe on Josie's blog before but have just never made it. I was somewhat intimidated by having to make a roux, but I was successful and am no longer intimidated! The soup came together in about 30 minutes which makes it a great option for a weeknight meal. This even included chopping up the carrot and broccoli! </div>
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Overall, we were slightly disappointed by this soup. I think I would reduce the amount of broccoli next time, probably going with 3-4 cups instead of the recommended 4-5. I used my immersion blender as Josie suggested and it just felt too chunky and I'd prefer a creamier soup. Or maybe I need to blend it more next time? I'm not sure but I'd definitely make this again. </div>
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It was filling, quick and served with fresh from the oven bread, made a perfect weeknight meal!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3HESkq4jW1c/UNz-AvjA2SI/AAAAAAAABZs/m9Ies5gG9-0/s1600/12.27.2012+051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3HESkq4jW1c/UNz-AvjA2SI/AAAAAAAABZs/m9Ies5gG9-0/s320/12.27.2012+051.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Broccoli-Cheddar Soup</b></i></div>
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Recipe from: <a href="http://www.pink-parsley.com/2012/11/broccoli-cheddar-soup.html">Pink Parsley</a></div>
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Originally from: <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/2009/11/05/broccoli-cheddar-soup/">Annie's Eats</a></div>
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<i>Ingredients:</i></div>
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6 tblsp butter, divided</div>
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3/4 cup onion, chopped</div>
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1 large carrot, peeled and shredded (I used a small handful of baby carrots that we had)</div>
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4-5 cups small broccoli florets</div>
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2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth (I used chicken)</div>
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1/2 tsp onion powder</div>
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1/2 tsp garlic powder</div>
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pinch of red pepper flakes</div>
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4 Tblsp flour</div>
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1 cup milk</div>
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1 cup half-and-half or heavy ream</div>
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2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese</div>
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salt and pepper, to taste</div>
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In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots to the pan and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the broccoli, chicken broth, onion powder, red pepper flakes and garlic powder. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmering. </div>
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As the broccoli simmers, melt the remaining butter in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown, whisking continuously. Whisk in the milk and cream and cook until the mixture thickens and bubbles. This will take about 5-7 minutes. I felt like it would never thicken and just when I was planning to give up, it started to thicken! Remove from the heat, stir in the shredded cheese until its melted and season with salt and pepper. It's going to look so cheesy, gooey and good you're going to have to resist eating it with a spoon!</div>
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If you want, use an immersion blender to puree most of the broccoli mixture. Stir the cheese and milk mixture into the broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally until heated through. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm. </div>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-48383032814335580182012-11-28T21:43:00.000-06:002012-11-28T21:43:00.330-06:00Ranch MushroomsThis is a recipe from my Husband's coworker. It's not a recipe that I absolutely love, but they are good. I'm not a lover of mushrooms in plain form. I'd much rather have my mushrooms sliced and cooked IN a dish than eat them plain.<br />
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This is a nice crockpot recipe that you can quick throw together before needing to head out to a party or event, or let cook while you get other dishes prepared for a dinner party or gathering.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1NF4SUF8g3U/UKxN3YuoB2I/AAAAAAAABXw/6v6y_Q7S0vY/s1600/10.6.2012+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1NF4SUF8g3U/UKxN3YuoB2I/AAAAAAAABXw/6v6y_Q7S0vY/s320/10.6.2012+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Ranch Mushrooms</u></b><br />
<i>Recipe from: friend/coworker</i><br />
2 pkgs whole mushrooms<br />
1/2 stick of butter, cut into tablespoon chunks<br />
1 pkt dry ranch mix<br />
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Place the mushrooms, butter pieces and then the ranch dressing into your crockpot. You can definitely use more mushrooms if you're needing to feed a crowd, just adjust the ingredients accordingly. Cook on low until the mushrooms are fully cooked and butter is melted, approximately 1-2 hrs.<br />
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Serve & enjoy!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-26876258937219143522012-11-27T08:00:00.000-06:002012-11-27T08:00:13.535-06:00Baked Oven Fries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n9wQ0AsmrnI/UKxIru_awSI/AAAAAAAABXI/ubteXll3lAo/s1600/10.16.2012+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n9wQ0AsmrnI/UKxIru_awSI/AAAAAAAABXI/ubteXll3lAo/s320/10.16.2012+008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><u>Baked Oven Fries</u></b><br />
<i>Recipe from: <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/2010/02/25/baked-oven-fries/">Annie's Eats</a></i><br />
3 russet potatoes, cut into wedges<br />
5 tblsp vegetable oil<br />
3/4 tsp kosher salt<br />
1/4 tsp black pepper<br />
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Preheat your oven to 475*. Place wedges in large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water, soaking the wedges for 10-30 minutes. Put 4 tblsp oil onto heavy, rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil. Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. You could even add some additional seasonings if you'd like. (cajun, herbs etc...)<br />
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Drain the potatoes onto paper towels. Wipe out the now empty bowl so that it is dry. Return to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tblsp oil.<br />
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Arrange the wedges onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Cover with foil and bake for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the wedges are spotty brown in color, about 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven, flip each wedge using a tongs. Bake for another 5-15 minutes until the wedges are golden brown and crisp.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lXj1EHAy2jo/UKxJOuACDtI/AAAAAAAABXY/LDvZezjjo6M/s1600/10.16.2012+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lXj1EHAy2jo/UKxJOuACDtI/AAAAAAAABXY/LDvZezjjo6M/s320/10.16.2012+023.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-56887760443353990772012-11-26T08:00:00.000-06:002012-11-26T08:00:10.202-06:00Buffalo Chicken Dip<br />
This is a recipe that I've made over and over again. However, I've just never blogged it. This is great for tailgating, potlucks, or to just munch on while you're hanging around the house on a Saturday afternoon. <div>
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It's great with celery on the side, chicken in a biscuit crackers or as pictured, with tostito chips! </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sj1P65y_Db4/UKxFDJ1P9WI/AAAAAAAABWw/2ddko9STPvc/s1600/10.20.2012+049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Sj1P65y_Db4/UKxFDJ1P9WI/AAAAAAAABWw/2ddko9STPvc/s320/10.20.2012+049.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Buffalo Chicken Dip</u></b></div>
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<i>Recipe from: a friend (this recipe is everywhere on the <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/buffalo-chicken-dip-79116">internet</a> and has various ways to prepare it)</i></div>
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<b>1lb shredded, cooked chicken breast</b></div>
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<b>1 (8oz) cream cheese, at room temperature</b></div>
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<b>1 cup ranch dressing</b></div>
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<b>1 cup Franks Hot sauce</b></div>
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<b>1 cup shredded cheddar cheese</b></div>
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This recipe is really flexible because you can make as much or as little as you want. The measurements can vary depending on how many people you'd like to feed, how spicy you want it or how mild you want it. </div>
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Sometimes I combine everything into a large saucepan and prepare it on the stove. For this particular day, I softened the cream cheese so that it was really easy to stir, combined it with the chicken, cheese, ranch and hot sauce and put it in a baking dish. I baked it in a 350 oven for about 20-25 minutes until the cheese was melted, and everything was warmed thoroughly. I took it out of the oven, stirred it and put it back in for another 15 minutes or so. Also, this particular time I put crushed ritz crackers on top. That's not necessary and actually next time I would leave them out. </div>
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I've also heard of adding some chopped celery when you combine all of the ingredients. It's really good and adds a nice little crunch. Plus, who doesn't love celery with buffalo chicken/chicken wings! :-) </div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-8179966326284190732012-11-23T08:00:00.000-06:002012-11-23T08:00:11.701-06:00Coconut Chicken with Orange Marmalade Sauce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Chicken is such an easy and fairly cheap protein. It makes for a great, quick weeknight meal but can be so boring at times. </div>
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I was happy to find this recipe on a blog that I love reading, <a href="http://www.goodthymesandgoodfood.com/">Good Thymes and Good Food</a>. I love that her recipes are always easy and I usually have the ingredients on hand. I also love that she's expecting her second child around the same time that I'm due so I know that her recipes aren't too labor intensive and she likely plans her meals and preps her food while doing a million other 'Mom things' during the day/evening. </div>
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This recipe was really good. I don't love coconut but will eat it if its baked (desserts or used in a breading such as this). The one thing that really bummed me out was how soggy the bottom of the chicken got while baking. I don't know if it was because I used milk instead of egg for my egg coating. We were out of eggs and I figured milk would be a fine substitute. </div>
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I also did not have the apricot preserves that it called for and only had orange marmalade available. It worked, but I would definitely try this recipe again using apricot preserves to see if it's better or different. </div>
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<b><u>Coconut Chicken with Orange Marmalade Sauce</u></b><br />
<i>Recipe from: <a href="http://www.goodthymesandgoodfood.com/2011/03/coconut-chicken-with-dijon-apricot.html">Good Thymes and Good Food </a></i><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 egg<br />
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut<br />
1/2 cup flour<br />
1/2 tsp garlic powder<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/4 tsp black pepper<br />
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts<br />
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted<br />
1/4 cup apricot preserves (or an apricot blend such as peach-apricot)<br />
2 tblsp dijon mustard<br />
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Preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil.<br />
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In a medium, shallow dish, lightly beat the egg. In another medium, shallow dish stir together the coconut, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper.<br />
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Taking one piece of chicken at a time, dip into the egg and then into the coconut mixture. Pat the coconut mixture onto the chicken to make sure that it sticks. Place dipped chicken breast onto the baking sheet. Continue with the remaining pieces of chicken.<br />
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Drizzle the melted butter over the chicken pieces. Bake in your preheated oven 30-40 minutes until chicken is cooked through. If the chicken does not brown, place under the broil for a couple of minutes but be sure to watch it carefully! I did not put mine under the broiler and you can see that some bits of coconut got a little dark!<br />
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For the sauce mixture, combine the preserves and the dijon mustard. Serve the sauce at room temperature.<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-3627677747890057282012-11-21T08:00:00.000-06:002012-11-21T08:00:00.186-06:00Venison Stroganoff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This year, my Husband got his first deer while out hunting with my Dad. He was pretty excited since it was his first deer ever. We shared the meat with my Parents and have a supply of venison in our freezer. He's made some jerky with it already which was so good. </div>
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This was a really good meal and it came together rather quickly. My Husband put it in the crockpot today while he was home from work, we took a quick nap after I came home and then ate dinner. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oUJ2qU7EkBo/UKw2lHtIspI/AAAAAAAABUg/6aon-uDGQ0I/s1600/11.20.2012+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oUJ2qU7EkBo/UKw2lHtIspI/AAAAAAAABUg/6aon-uDGQ0I/s320/11.20.2012+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><u>Venison Stroganoff</u></b><br />
1-2lbs of venison roast, cubed into bite size pieces<br />
2 onions, chopped<br />
1/4 cup chicken stock<br />
2 cans cream of mushroom soup<br />
Prepared egg noodles<br />
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Line bottom of crockpot with chopped onions. Add the chopped venison roast. Add 1/4 cup chicken stock. Cook on low for 6 hours.<br />
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Remove from crockpot. Add meat to a medium sized saucepan. Turn to medium-high heat and add two cans of cream of mushroom soup. Stir to combine the soup and venison meat. Let cook at medium-high heat until well combined and no lumps are present, about 10 minutes.<br />
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Serve over prepared egg noodles.<br />
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-16362049592560801042012-11-20T20:32:00.001-06:002012-11-20T20:32:10.706-06:00Pumpkin Roll I was in charge of bringing a dessert to my Husband's Grandma's for Thanksgiving last Saturday. I was going to make a cheesecake but didn't have all of the ingredients on hand and didn't want to make a trip to the store. Not to mention, by the time I read the recipe I realized that I wouldn't have had enough time to bake the cheesecake.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_5huIiR2rLM/UKw8QhAis3I/AAAAAAAABVQ/1WnrYWmRzRc/s1600/11.20.2012+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_5huIiR2rLM/UKw8QhAis3I/AAAAAAAABVQ/1WnrYWmRzRc/s320/11.20.2012+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This looked incredibly daunting to make but I had all of the ingredients, needed to bring a dessert and didn't have a back up plan. It's not as intimidating as it looks, I promise. I wish I would have remembered to take a picture of the final product, but I didn't. This isn't even that great of a picture. When I make it again, I'll be sure to get some better pictures.<br />
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I'm actually going to bring two of these to my Mom and Dad's house for Thanksgiving on Thursday. If you need a quick and easy dessert to bring somewhere this Thanksgiving, I'd definitely recommend this recipe. The cake is light and moist, the filling is creamy and smooth and together, they provide a very decadent dessert.<br />
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<b>Libby's Pumpkin Roll</b><br />
<i>Recipe from: <a href="http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32372/LIBBYS-Pumpkin-Roll/detail.aspx">Libby's</a></i><br />
1/4 cup powdered sugar<br />
3/4 cup all purpose flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp ground cloves<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2/3 cup pumpkin<br />
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<b>For the filling:</b><br />
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened<br />
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted<br />
6 tblsp butter, softened<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 tblsp whipping cream<br />
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Preheat oven to 375*. Grease a 15x10 jelly roll pan, line with wax paper and then grease and flour the waxed paper. Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with the 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Set aside.<br />
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Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until combined and thick. Beat the pumpkin into the egg and sugar mixture. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Mix until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 375* for 13-15 minutes. The top of the cake should spring back when touched lightly.<br />
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Immediately loosen the cake and turn onto the prepared towel. Give it a minute or two to start to cool off and then start removing the paper. I immediately started removing the paper as soon as I flipped the cake onto the towel but was having trouble. I let it cool a little bit and the paper came off much easier. The paper did not come off super smoothly, but it wasn't completely ruined either.<br />
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Roll up the cake and towel together. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.<br />
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While the cake cools, mix up your filling. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, softened butter and vanilla together in a stand mixer until smooth. The original recipe doesn't call for whipping cream, but I added it because I was concerned that the filling was going to be too thick and not very light. I'm very happy that I decided to add the whipping cream.<br />
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Carefully unroll the cake. Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the cooled cake. Re-roll the cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. Before serving, sprinkle the outside of the roll with the powdered sugar.<br />
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<b>Note:</b> I chose to cut off the ends of the cake because they were jagged and not very nice looking.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-10205822608063090322012-10-25T08:00:00.000-05:002012-10-25T09:29:24.716-05:00Cinnamon Roll PancakesI first saw these pancakes when I first joined Pinterest.<br />
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They were such a good treat to have on a casual, Saturday morning. We actually haven't made them since we originally made them awhile ago. Definitely not something that you'd want to indulge in too often but they're so worth it!<br />
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These were a little more time consuming than regular pancakes but odds are, if you're spending time to make pancakes, you probably have a little extra time to spare.<br />
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You can make the pancake batter from scratch or use a prepared pancake mix like Bisquick if you're in a hurry.<br />
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Cinnamon Roll Pancakes</div>
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<i>Recipe from: <a href="http://www.recipegirl.com/2011/03/01/cinnamon-roll-pancakes/">Recipe Girl</a></i></div>
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<b>Cinnamon Fillings:</b></div>
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4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted </div>
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1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar</div>
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1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon</div>
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<b>Cream Cheese Glaze:</b></div>
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4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter</div>
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2oz cream cheese, at room temperature</div>
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3/4 cup powdered sugar</div>
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract </div>
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<b>Pancakes:</b></div>
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1 cup all-purpose flour</div>
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2 teaspoons baking powder</div>
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1/2 teaspoon salt</div>
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1 cup milk</div>
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1 large egg, lightly beaten</div>
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil </div>
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The first step is to prepare the cinnamon filling. In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside. </div>
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Next, you'll want to prepare the cream cheese glaze. In a small pan, heat the butter over low heat until melted. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until it is almost smooth. Sift the powdered sugar into the pan, stir and add in vanilla extract. Set the pan aside while you make the pancakes. {You could probably do this in the microwave too. I didn't try it but I'm sure you could softened the cream cheese, stir it together by itself, then add the melted butter and the rest of the ingredients.}</div>
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Finally, prepare the pancake batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the milk, egg and oil, just until the batter is moistened. You'll have a few small lumps, which is fine. </div>
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Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-heat and spray with nonstick spray. (I used a griddle so that all the pancakes were done at the same time) Using a small measuring cup (I think I used 1/3 cup or something similar) scoop the batter onto the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium low. </div>
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When the pancakes begin to form bubbles, swirl your cinnamon filling into a circular pattern onto the pancake. Cook the pancake 2 to 3 minutes or until the bubbles begin popping on the top of the pancake and it's golden brown on the bottom. </div>
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Gently, but quickly flip the pancake over. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the other side is golden brown as well. </div>
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Right before serving the pancakes, drizzle with some of the cream cheese glaze. </div>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-66501372444839915402012-10-23T21:02:00.000-05:002014-01-24T21:54:37.194-06:00Gender Reveal Cupcakes!! This was the most fun I've had making cupcakes in a LONG time. My Chiropractor and his Wife are expecting their first child in March. I'm due in January and it's been so fun to have someone else to chat about pregnancy with. Granted, I see more of him than I do of her but ... it's still fun. She and I have had very, very similar pregnancies. We've both felt great, mild nausea, no morning sickness.<br />
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Recently, she messaged me on Facebook and asked if I could make them a dozen cupcakes for a gender reveal dinner that they were having with his Family. I was elated! I've seen this on Pinterest before but had never thought I'd do something like this.<br />
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{Side note: I now wish we would have done something fun like this when we found out we were having a Girl. The way the ultrasound tech told us was pretty lackluster and looking back on it, it's probably just a ho-hum, every day experience for her. Having a little more excitement around it would have been fun! Maybe for the next kiddo.}<br />
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She sent me the Pinterest link for the cupcake that she liked. It was a simple chocolate cupcake with what looked like a chocolate ganache on top and then a question mark on top of the cupcake piped in a white frosting. I knew right away what I wanted the cupcakes to look like and I couldn't wait to practice before the big day!<br />
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They had their 20wk ultrasound and her Husband found out what they were having and she decided to wait for the cupcakes. He text me early afternoon after their appointment and told me which cupcakes to give her. I was so excited I could hardly stand to sit at work the rest of the afternoon. I was so nervous on the drive home that I'd either a.) spill the beans or b.) give her the wrong dozen cupcakes. {Even though I had labeled them for myself with a post-it note}<br />
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I know a few people who are pregnant right now who are due after me. It would be so fun to make these again or to even make a gender reveal cake. <br />
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I realized today that I put the second row, far right cupcake in the carrier crooked and I really am fighting some OCD urges with wanting it to be fixed! </div>
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Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Filling and Ganache</div>
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<b>Cupcakes</b></div>
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<i>Recipe from: <a href="http://www.hersheys.com/pure-recipes/details.aspx?id=184&name=HERSHEY%27S+%22PERFECTLY+CHOCOLATE%22+Chocolate+Cake#share_modal">Hershey's </a></i></div>
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<b>Makes approximately 30 cupcakes</b></div>
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2 cups sugar</div>
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1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour</div>
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3/4 cup cocoa powder</div>
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1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder</div>
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1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda</div>
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1 teaspoon salt</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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1 cup milk</div>
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1/2 cup vegetable oil</div>
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2 teaspoons vanilla extraxt</div>
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1 cup boiling water</div>
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Preheat oven to 350. Place cupcake liners in each well of a cupcake pan.</div>
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Stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes. Stir in your boiling water. Mix until the water is combined thoroughly. The batter will be very thin. This is ok. </div>
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Pour batter into prepared, lined cupcake pan, filling each liner about 2/3 full. Bake 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Buttercream Filling</b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Recipe from: <a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/03/because-life-isnt-always-rainbows-and.html">The Girl Who Ate Everything</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">3 sticks butter at room temperature</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">6 cups powdered sugar</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">5 tablespoons milk</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract dash of salt</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the butter and powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt. Mix until combined. Gradually add the milk and beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy. You may not need all of the milk. Add a tablespoon at a time until it becomes the consistency you desire.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><b>Ganache</b></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Recipe from: <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/2009/10/09/boston-cream-pie/">Annie's Eats</a></i></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">1 cup heavy cream</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">1/4 cup light corn syrup</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">1/2 tsp vanilla extract</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">Combine the heavy cream and light corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate chips, cover and let sit for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, if the chips aren't completely melted, return to medium heat and stir frequently until all the chips are melted. Stir in the vanilla extract until combined and the chocolate mixture is smooth. Cool the glaze until it is lukewarm at which point if you were to pour a spoonful back into the rest of the glaze it would mound slightly. </span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-1991983723077058272012-10-05T07:00:00.000-05:002012-10-06T10:38:03.013-05:00Sausage Biscuit SandwichesI participated in another Recipe Swap on the online cooking forum that I frequent. This time the theme was Breakfast. I was assigned Sarah's blog again, <a href="http://tasteofhomecooking.blogspot.com/">A Taste of Home Cooking</a>.<br />
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Both Matt and I are breakfast people. We can't skip breakfast. Most of the time, I wake up starving each morning. Especially now that I'm pregnant, there is no way I can skip breakfast. When I do eat breakfast, it has to be something somewhat hearty. I can't just eat yogurt or fruit. I need some protein in there too.<br />
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These breakfast sandwiches were perfect. They could easily be a weekday morning breakfast or a made from scratch, weekend breakfast. I was really skeptical of the cream cheese and raspberry jam aspect of this recipe. The salty, sweet, creamy components of this sandwich really make it one of a kind. Better than any fast food breakfast sandwich! I tried it both with an over easy egg and a fried egg. I much prefer the over easy egg sandwich. It adds an additional flavor!<br />
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You could definitely prepare these for a large crowd as well. People could top their sandwiches with our without the cream cheese and raspberry jam, you could offer bacon in addition to or instead of sausage ... the possibilities are endless!<br />
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Since it makes 8 breakfast sandwiches, I plan on preparing them and keeping them in the refrigerator so we can grab, heat and go during the week. I'm hoping microwaving it doesn't ruin the cream cheese/raspberry layer. We'll see! I'll be sure to report back.<br />
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<b>Sausage Biscuit Sandwiches</b></div>
<i>From: <a href="http://tasteofhomecooking.blogspot.com/2011/08/sausage-biscuit-sandwiches.html">A Taste of Home Cooking</a></i><br />
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1 can refrigerated biscuits<br />
1 package breakfast sausage patties<br />
8 eggs<br />
Cream Cheese<br />
Raspberry Jam or Jelly<br />
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Prepare the biscuits per the package instructions. <br />
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Fry your sausage so that it's cooked through. Wipe out your skillet and use it to make your eggs. You could do a scrambled egg, fried egg, over-easy egg, whichever you prefer.<br />
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When your biscuits are done, sausage is cooked and eggs are cooked, you're ready to assemble!<br />
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Cut each biscuit in half. Spread cream cheese (however much you prefer) onto each biscuit half. Spread some raspberry jelly on top of the cream cheese. Again, use however much you like. I used a small amount of each. Then, place your sausage patty on one half of the biscuit. I cut my sausage patties in half, lengthwise so that they covered more of the biscuit. Then, place your egg on top and lastly, the other half of the biscuit.<br />
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Enjoy!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-47527273377182863992012-09-26T07:00:00.000-05:002014-01-24T22:11:08.068-06:00Caramel Apple Cheesecake BarsI really love the Fall season. The crisp air, the falling leaves, the scent of apple baked goods, soups simmering on the stove; I love it all.<br />
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I am happy to inaugurate my Fall baking season with this recipe. Although it looks complicated, it's really easy and comes together quickly. Not to mention, it makes quite a bit! My Husband and I shared one piece and then I sent the rest of the 9x13 pan with him to work. I know that I'll be making these again this Fall for sure.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QxFa0HwEeJ_ohn58NfXKEsaxk17wvxyRFXzYVJnV0v5P_tobdQLV6l7liErYxXgrwt5AeKFuJcmEowxiTAPSA5plFl0IXsBiJGYBviVlVe0ooX7gfw5GEcA_XYyzyg1tNdoaw_kkNN0/s1600/caramel+apple+cheesecake+bars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2QxFa0HwEeJ_ohn58NfXKEsaxk17wvxyRFXzYVJnV0v5P_tobdQLV6l7liErYxXgrwt5AeKFuJcmEowxiTAPSA5plFl0IXsBiJGYBviVlVe0ooX7gfw5GEcA_XYyzyg1tNdoaw_kkNN0/s1600/caramel+apple+cheesecake+bars.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /><b>Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars</b><br />
<i>Recipe from: <a href="http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/09/caramel-apple-cheesecake-bars.html">The Girl Who Ate Everything</a></i><br />
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<b><u>Crust:</u></b><br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar<br />
2 sticks butter, softened<br />
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<b><u>Cheesecake Filling:</u></b><br />
3 (8oz) cream cheese, softened<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
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<b><u>Apples:</u></b><br />
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped (I used 1 1/2 apples which yielded about 4 cups of chopped apples which I think was perfect.)<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg<br />
2 tablespoons sugar<br />
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<b><u>Streusel Topping:</u></b><br />
1 cup packed brown sugar<br />
1 cup all-purpose flour<br />
1/2 cup quick cooking oats<br />
1 stick butter, softened<br />
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<b><u>Instructions:</u></b><br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
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In a medium bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 pan. The mixture is very moist so it worked best for me that I just used my clean hands to press it into the pan.<br />
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Bake for about 15 minutes until the crust is a golden brown.<br />
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In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with 3/4 cup of sugar until smooth. Then, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Pour this over the warm crust.<br />
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In a small bowl, stir together the apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spoon the apple mixture evenly over the cream cheese mixture.<br />
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For the streusel topping, mix together the flour, brown sugar and quick cooking oats. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender until it resembles a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples. <br />
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Bake 40-45 minutes or until the filling is set.<br />
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Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy! Makes 16 servings. <br />
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If [and that's a <b>big </b>IF] there are leftovers, I'd store them in the refrigerator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-89608695802370895362012-09-25T07:00:00.000-05:002012-09-25T07:00:04.053-05:00Raisin & Almond GranolaMy Husband and I both really enjoy yogurt for breakfasts. We usually just buy the individual servings of <a href="http://www.yoplait.com/">Yoplait</a> but recently I just bought a large tub of <a href="http://www.dannon.com/">Dannon</a> yogurt and are going to make our own individual servings. It's about the same cost, if not a little cheaper.<br />
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I decided that I wanted to make some granola to go with our yogurt. I've made this recipe in the past so I looked it up again and now I'm finally blogging it! I bought some grapes when I did some grocery shopping so I'll make my own yogurt, granola and grape parfait for breakfasts! I made two batches of this recipe and it almost filled this cookie jar.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NObAPOCQY2o/UF-TF6TS1BI/AAAAAAAABJE/YLGGsH4EZKw/s1600/9.23.2012+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NObAPOCQY2o/UF-TF6TS1BI/AAAAAAAABJE/YLGGsH4EZKw/s320/9.23.2012+017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Raisin & Almond Granola</b><br />
<i>Recipe from: Ellie Krieger</i><br />
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3 cups old-fashioned oats<br />
1/2 cup chopped, unsalted almonds<br />
1/2 cup maple syrup<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 cup raisins<br />
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Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.<br />
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In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Mix well so that the syrup has coated everything. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally.<br />
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The original recipe says that this should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I plan on going through this pretty frequently so I'm not worried about it going bad. I'm going to store it in the jar shown in the picture, on my counter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-86502765449406345072012-09-24T07:00:00.000-05:002014-01-24T21:52:18.907-06:00Jalapeno Popper ChickenWhenever we go out to eat or even if we buy frozen appetizers from the grocery store, we usually enjoy some jalapeno poppers. Usually, they're pretty good. Although, sometimes you'll get those duds that are a little soggy or have no flavor.<br />
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I enjoy jalapeno flavor but I don't always enjoy very much spice. This dish was perfect for me because you definitely got the flavor of jalapenos but it wasn't overwhelming. You can keep some of the seeds in the jalapenos if you'd like to kick up the flavor a little bit.<br />
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This chicken has been on my radar for awhile now and we finally had the jalapenos on hand thanks to my Mom and Dad's plentiful garden. This meal came together rather quickly but felt like it was more labor intensive than it was The chicken breasts that we had were very thick so I probably should have doubled the filling.<br />
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I took some leftovers for lunch the following day and it was good but dry. I am pretty sure that's because I warmed it in the microwave. I think leftovers warmed in the oven would be very good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUFNopoQEeX2i88_A1WW5evapmN5x1cCroxMaNwGY6BtUd2AsmgRnzPs1_DG_R6z0ocA92inxGevb-5TPEWHljLzgvB6sjFFgNwEe9yFHXr9SbASL_hFC5m1j7yClvFaXQz8GSsaay6M/s1600/9.21.2012+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUFNopoQEeX2i88_A1WW5evapmN5x1cCroxMaNwGY6BtUd2AsmgRnzPs1_DG_R6z0ocA92inxGevb-5TPEWHljLzgvB6sjFFgNwEe9yFHXr9SbASL_hFC5m1j7yClvFaXQz8GSsaay6M/s1600/9.21.2012+069.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Jalapeno Popper Chicken</b><br />
<i>Adapted From: <a href="http://ellysaysopa.com/2012/07/24/jalapeno-popper-chicken/">Elly Says Opa!</a> </i><br />
1/2 cup breadcrumbs<br />
2 tsp taco seasoning<br />
2 egg<br />
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese<br />
1/4-1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese<br />
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced<br />
3 chicken breasts<br />
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Preheat the oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with foil. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray.<br />
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In a small skillet over medium heat, warm the breadcrumbs (I was hoping this would toast them a little, but I don't think it did. Next time, I might use the panko breadcrumbs Elly's recipe suggests).<br />
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Add the taco seasoning to the breadcrumbs and place in a shallow dish.<br />
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In a separate shallow bowl or dish, lightly beat the eggs. In another shallow bowl or dish combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and jalapenos.<br />
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Using a small knife, cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast or horizontally slice the chicken through the center, until it is almost butterflied. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and then divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between each chicken breast's pocket. I used a pampered chef scoop and that worked really well. One thing I would recommend is to warm the cream cheese slightly so that it's more easily spread on the chicken breasts.<br />
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Dip the chicken pieces one at a time, first into the egg, then into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to coat the chicken completely. Place the chicken onto your prepared baking sheet and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179581106122502485.post-18288837577084765832012-09-14T10:03:00.000-05:002012-09-14T10:03:33.390-05:00Cheesy Green BeansThis is a recipe from my Grandma. I remember she would always make these when we were up visiting at her house and they were most definitely at each Holiday meal. As Grandma has gotten older, she's not cooked as much and usually Holiday meals are now at my Mom's house. We were visiting her recently when she made lunch for us and these beans were on the menu. I love green beans to begin with, but these were nothing short of nostalgic.<br />
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Some people might shrug their shoulders or turn their nose since these are made using canned beans and processed cheese slices. I, however, will continue to make them and share them with my kids.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yqHFsv5RaWM/UFM-8uMH6BI/AAAAAAAABHk/4rX6kqsmlwE/s1600/creamed+green+beans.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yqHFsv5RaWM/UFM-8uMH6BI/AAAAAAAABHk/4rX6kqsmlwE/s320/creamed+green+beans.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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They look like a pile of mush, and not very appetizing in this picture, but trust me. They're good! </div>
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<b>Cheesy Green Beans</b></div>
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<i>From: Grandma </i></div>
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Can of french cut green beans (as many cans as you'd like to serve)</div>
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Pasteurized american cheese slices (such as <a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/kraftcheese/singles.aspx">Kraft</a>) </div>
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a couple tablespoons of butter</div>
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Prepare the beans on the stove-top as directed. Drain the water. Put your beans back in the pot you used to cook them. Keep the stove on warm-low. Tear your cheese slices into small pieces and place in the beans. Add one tablespoon of butter. Mix the cheese & butter into the beans. Stir the cheese around in the beans until it and the butter melt. Add more butter if you think it's necessary until you reach a creamy consistency. The beans should not be runny. </div>
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When you've got the consistency that you want, transfer to a serving dish and serve! </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0